Each year at its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple hands out Apple Design Awards (ADAs) to recognize outstanding developer achievement. It’s like the Oscars, but nerdier, and with a far lesser chance of Ricky Gervais showing up. While last year’s event shut out Mac apps from consideration, the 2011 ADAs once again honored both Mac and iOS developers alike. Apple says ADAs go to developers who demonstrate excellence in the areas of design, innovation, and technnology. The award itself—a coveted cube—was accompanied this year by a MacBook Air, iPad 2, and iPod touch.

The three iPad apps recognized were Osmos by Hemisphere Games, Our Choice by Push Pop Press, and Djay by Algoriddim.

To qualify for an ADA, Mac software had to be sold through the Mac App Store; Mac software sold elsewhere wasn’t eligible this year. The three Mac App Store titles recognized this year were Capo by SumerMegaUltraGroovy, Pixelmator by Pixelmator Team, and Anomaly: Warzone Earth by 11 Bit Studios.